‘There’s Just Something Special About K-State’
Jun 21, 2023 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Kacey Feldkamp remembers watching her cousin, Joe Bob Clements, star at defensive end for Kansas State in the late 1990s. She remembers the feeling of entering KSU Stadium on fall Saturday afternoons knowing something special was about to happen.
She was hooked.
Feldkamp, a native of Emporia, really had no doubt where she was going to attend college. K-State football made her purple for life.
And that's the truth, as Feldkamp enters her 19th season at K-State in 2023 and her fifth as the Director of Football Operations for the Wildcats.
One of just seven women to serve as Director of Football Operations at an FBS school, Feldkamp takes great pride in being a all-star mother to two-year-old Payton and wife to John, while also being an all-star at her role inside the Vanier Family Football Complex.
"When we decided to start a family, I knew it would be challenging, but I was determined to be a great mom and continue performing my job at a high level," Feldkamp says. "Coach Klieman has created an environment where it is possible to do both."
Feldkamp sat down with K-State Sports Extra's D. Scott Fritchen to discuss her duties as director of football operations and her passion for K-State:
D. SCOTT FRITCHEN: You're entering your 19th season at K-State football. How would you describe your journey to this point?
KACEY FELDKAMP: It has been an incredible journey. I am so proud to be a part of K-State football and to have this career at my alma mater. I am forever grateful for this opportunity.
The most memorable moment so far would have to be winning the 2022 Big 12 Championship. It was an amazing achievement that I will never forget. Everybody in our program worked so hard to get to that point. I am so proud to be a part of it. This job has provided me with a lot of unique experiences, and it has been special to be able to share some of those big moments with my family.
Balancing motherhood and football has probably been the most challenging aspect, but also the biggest blessing. I am so grateful to work for Coach Klieman. He is a wonderful person who values our families and really allows us the flexibility to be great parents. When we decided to start a family, I knew it would be challenging, but I was determined to be a great mom and continue performing my job at a high level. Coach Klieman has created an environment where it is possible to do both.
FRITCHEN: You are one of just seven women to serve as Director of Football Operations at a FBS school. What's the sense of pride that you take in that?
FELDKAMP: I do take a lot of pride in my position on our staff and how hard I have worked to get to this point. I hope that the number of females in leadership positions within college football continues to grow. We have quite a few females on our staff who are extremely talented and do a phenomenal job. I hope I can be a great example and support system for them as they continue in their careers.
FRITCHEN: You were granted the opportunity to be a member of the College Football Playoff Advisory Group. Exactly how did that opportunity come about, and what are the duties involved with that committee?
FELDKAMP: I was invited to be a part of the CFP Advisory Group earlier this year. We met in Houston in May to talk about the 2024 National Championship Game and to discuss the future college football playoff expansion. The advisory group consists of approximately 20 individuals in football operations and athletic administration throughout the country. It was an honor to be included in those discussions and hopefully have some input on what the future playoff games look like for teams.
FRITCHEN: What motivates you each day?
FELDKAMP: First and foremost, my family. I want to be the best mother, wife, daughter and sister that I can be. I always want to set a great example for my daughter as well as my nephews and nieces.
I am really motivated by my goal to get better every day. I always strive to improve my processes, be more efficient or communicate more effectively. What can I do to make our program better? How can I be a better teammate to those around me?
FRITCHEN: Can you describe your role within the K-State football program and everything it encompasses?
FELDKAMP: As director of football operations, I help manage the organization of our football program, including gameday logistics, team travel, bowl planning, budget management and football camps. I also coordinate our player/parent programming and provide some oversight for our alumni relations as well as many other things.
Probably one of the more interesting pieces of my job would be gameday logistics and team travel. I begin formulating travel plans and executing contracts for hotels, buses and air charter in January or February, as soon as the football schedule is released. There's a lot of preliminary legwork that happens throughout the spring, and then I'll start fine-tuning the details over the summer.
We typically do not know our kick times until six to 12 days prior to a game, so a lot of the final details happen quickly. Once we are in the thick of the season, I am usually working on logistics for two or three games at once. I meet with Coach Klieman each Tuesday morning to finalize our schedule and discuss our travel roster for that week.
Game logistics encompasses everything from putting together the team schedule to facilitating our needs with the hotel, bus company, air charter, police escort and game management staff. At home games we also have to manage some other elements such as player parking, pass lists and a variety of special events, including alumni reunions and Senior Day. It is important for me to know everything going on surrounding the game that may affect the team so I can communicate with our staff and try to eliminate any unnecessary distractions on game day.
FRITCHEN: Growing up in Emporia, was K-State always a part of your life?
FELDKAMP: One of my cousins, Joe Bob Clements, played football at K-State from 1994 to 1998, and that is really what drew our family in. We attended several games throughout the 90's and I loved everything about that experience. The game day atmosphere was electric, and I knew from a fairly young age that I wanted to go to K-State.
I am so proud to be from Emporia, Kansas. Emporia was a wonderful community to grow up in, and I really enjoyed living there. I still feel supported by the people in my hometown and remain very close with my childhood friends.
FRITCHEN: What was your first impression when you came to a K-State football game?
FELDKAMP: I can vividly remember walking into the stadium, towards our seats on the east side, looking down onto the field and just being in complete awe. We sat in the north end zone a few times and were able to high five the players as they took the field. I loved everything about coming to those games with my family.
K-State has come such a long way. It has been incredible to see the transformation of our facilities through the years. The entire K-State community has poured so much into the university and our athletic programs. I truly appreciate the hard work that everyone has put in over the years to build this up to what it is. On game days when they play, 'Proud of This House,' I get chills every time, because I'm so proud of how far we've come.
FRITCHEN: What sport was your first love growing up?
FELDKAMP: Basketball was always a big part of my life, and I spent a lot of my free time practicing or competing. I was a member of our golf team in high school and really enjoyed that experience as well.
FRITCHEN: You received your bachelor's in family studies and human services and your master's in counseling and student development. What were your aspirations heading into college?
FELDKAMP: I was considering going into education or working for a non-profit organization, but I could never quite pinpoint exactly what I wanted to do. I got a job at the football office prior to the 2005 season as a student assistant. It seemed like it would be a good experience while I earned my degree. I didn't see college football as a realistic career option for me until my senior year when I had the opportunity to take on more responsibility within our recruiting department.
There's just something special about K-State and about Manhattan. My husband and I really enjoy being a part of this community and raising our daughter here. I love working for Coach Klieman, and I really believe in his vision for the football program. We have more to accomplish here.
FRITCHEN: What have you learned most about yourself during this journey?
FELDKAMP: I've learned that I can do more than I ever thought possible.
Kacey Feldkamp remembers watching her cousin, Joe Bob Clements, star at defensive end for Kansas State in the late 1990s. She remembers the feeling of entering KSU Stadium on fall Saturday afternoons knowing something special was about to happen.
She was hooked.
Feldkamp, a native of Emporia, really had no doubt where she was going to attend college. K-State football made her purple for life.
And that's the truth, as Feldkamp enters her 19th season at K-State in 2023 and her fifth as the Director of Football Operations for the Wildcats.
One of just seven women to serve as Director of Football Operations at an FBS school, Feldkamp takes great pride in being a all-star mother to two-year-old Payton and wife to John, while also being an all-star at her role inside the Vanier Family Football Complex.
"When we decided to start a family, I knew it would be challenging, but I was determined to be a great mom and continue performing my job at a high level," Feldkamp says. "Coach Klieman has created an environment where it is possible to do both."
Feldkamp sat down with K-State Sports Extra's D. Scott Fritchen to discuss her duties as director of football operations and her passion for K-State:
D. SCOTT FRITCHEN: You're entering your 19th season at K-State football. How would you describe your journey to this point?
KACEY FELDKAMP: It has been an incredible journey. I am so proud to be a part of K-State football and to have this career at my alma mater. I am forever grateful for this opportunity.
The most memorable moment so far would have to be winning the 2022 Big 12 Championship. It was an amazing achievement that I will never forget. Everybody in our program worked so hard to get to that point. I am so proud to be a part of it. This job has provided me with a lot of unique experiences, and it has been special to be able to share some of those big moments with my family.
Balancing motherhood and football has probably been the most challenging aspect, but also the biggest blessing. I am so grateful to work for Coach Klieman. He is a wonderful person who values our families and really allows us the flexibility to be great parents. When we decided to start a family, I knew it would be challenging, but I was determined to be a great mom and continue performing my job at a high level. Coach Klieman has created an environment where it is possible to do both.
FRITCHEN: You are one of just seven women to serve as Director of Football Operations at a FBS school. What's the sense of pride that you take in that?
FELDKAMP: I do take a lot of pride in my position on our staff and how hard I have worked to get to this point. I hope that the number of females in leadership positions within college football continues to grow. We have quite a few females on our staff who are extremely talented and do a phenomenal job. I hope I can be a great example and support system for them as they continue in their careers.
FRITCHEN: You were granted the opportunity to be a member of the College Football Playoff Advisory Group. Exactly how did that opportunity come about, and what are the duties involved with that committee?
FELDKAMP: I was invited to be a part of the CFP Advisory Group earlier this year. We met in Houston in May to talk about the 2024 National Championship Game and to discuss the future college football playoff expansion. The advisory group consists of approximately 20 individuals in football operations and athletic administration throughout the country. It was an honor to be included in those discussions and hopefully have some input on what the future playoff games look like for teams.
FRITCHEN: What motivates you each day?
FELDKAMP: First and foremost, my family. I want to be the best mother, wife, daughter and sister that I can be. I always want to set a great example for my daughter as well as my nephews and nieces.
I am really motivated by my goal to get better every day. I always strive to improve my processes, be more efficient or communicate more effectively. What can I do to make our program better? How can I be a better teammate to those around me?
FRITCHEN: Can you describe your role within the K-State football program and everything it encompasses?
FELDKAMP: As director of football operations, I help manage the organization of our football program, including gameday logistics, team travel, bowl planning, budget management and football camps. I also coordinate our player/parent programming and provide some oversight for our alumni relations as well as many other things.
Probably one of the more interesting pieces of my job would be gameday logistics and team travel. I begin formulating travel plans and executing contracts for hotels, buses and air charter in January or February, as soon as the football schedule is released. There's a lot of preliminary legwork that happens throughout the spring, and then I'll start fine-tuning the details over the summer.
We typically do not know our kick times until six to 12 days prior to a game, so a lot of the final details happen quickly. Once we are in the thick of the season, I am usually working on logistics for two or three games at once. I meet with Coach Klieman each Tuesday morning to finalize our schedule and discuss our travel roster for that week.
Game logistics encompasses everything from putting together the team schedule to facilitating our needs with the hotel, bus company, air charter, police escort and game management staff. At home games we also have to manage some other elements such as player parking, pass lists and a variety of special events, including alumni reunions and Senior Day. It is important for me to know everything going on surrounding the game that may affect the team so I can communicate with our staff and try to eliminate any unnecessary distractions on game day.
FRITCHEN: Growing up in Emporia, was K-State always a part of your life?
FELDKAMP: One of my cousins, Joe Bob Clements, played football at K-State from 1994 to 1998, and that is really what drew our family in. We attended several games throughout the 90's and I loved everything about that experience. The game day atmosphere was electric, and I knew from a fairly young age that I wanted to go to K-State.
I am so proud to be from Emporia, Kansas. Emporia was a wonderful community to grow up in, and I really enjoyed living there. I still feel supported by the people in my hometown and remain very close with my childhood friends.
FRITCHEN: What was your first impression when you came to a K-State football game?
FELDKAMP: I can vividly remember walking into the stadium, towards our seats on the east side, looking down onto the field and just being in complete awe. We sat in the north end zone a few times and were able to high five the players as they took the field. I loved everything about coming to those games with my family.
K-State has come such a long way. It has been incredible to see the transformation of our facilities through the years. The entire K-State community has poured so much into the university and our athletic programs. I truly appreciate the hard work that everyone has put in over the years to build this up to what it is. On game days when they play, 'Proud of This House,' I get chills every time, because I'm so proud of how far we've come.
FRITCHEN: What sport was your first love growing up?
FELDKAMP: Basketball was always a big part of my life, and I spent a lot of my free time practicing or competing. I was a member of our golf team in high school and really enjoyed that experience as well.
FRITCHEN: You received your bachelor's in family studies and human services and your master's in counseling and student development. What were your aspirations heading into college?
FELDKAMP: I was considering going into education or working for a non-profit organization, but I could never quite pinpoint exactly what I wanted to do. I got a job at the football office prior to the 2005 season as a student assistant. It seemed like it would be a good experience while I earned my degree. I didn't see college football as a realistic career option for me until my senior year when I had the opportunity to take on more responsibility within our recruiting department.
There's just something special about K-State and about Manhattan. My husband and I really enjoy being a part of this community and raising our daughter here. I love working for Coach Klieman, and I really believe in his vision for the football program. We have more to accomplish here.
FRITCHEN: What have you learned most about yourself during this journey?
FELDKAMP: I've learned that I can do more than I ever thought possible.
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